Pittsburgh Pirates defeat San Diego Padres 1-0 on Oneil Cruz home run

The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the San Diego Padres 1-0 at Petco Park, driven by a ninth-inning solo home run from Oneil Cruz. The blast was the first home run allowed by Padres All-Star closer Mason Miller in over a year, spanning 73 consecutive appearances.

Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivered a strong performance, pitching six scoreless innings with three hits and no walks, marking a significant rebound for the reigning NL Cy Cy Young winner. On the Padres' side, Michael King provided a solid start, pitching seven scoreless innings with five hits.

The victory helps the Pirates close the gap in the National League Wild Card race, moving within 6.5 games of the Padres. The loss marks the first time the Padres have lost consecutive games since late July.